Basic Replay is a reggae reissue label run by Honest Jon's in London and Basic Channel/Rhythm & Sound in Berlin, and this album is a sampler of its releases since starting in 2004. All except two of the tracks are now available on CD for the very first time. This assemblage includes the best of the label's dancehall hits, classic deep dub stunners and reggae essentials that you must own. The Ackie and Tenastilin tracks are from the London dancehall, killer shots from 1986 and 1992. Basic Replay's hit 12" reissue of "Rambo" was the subject of feature articles in Wax Poetics magazine and Natty Dread (France). Also available is a hit from Professor Grizzly and Ijahman Levi's rare, resplendent first version of "I'm A Levi" (recorded in London in 1974) and the apocalyptic "Ayatollah," recorded by Jackie Mittoo post-Studio One, in New York. From Canada, King Culture's stunning dub of Barry Brown is surely the deadliest cut of the mighty "Cuss Cuss" rhythm. The Courtney Melody, Chuck Turner and White Mice tracks are classic no-mercy Stateside digi-sufferers from just a few years ago, the track from Andrew Bees (the Black Uhuru singer) is in the same lofty tradition. Keith Hudson's LP masterwork Flesh Of My Skin is represented by its opener, featuring Count Ossie; alongside cruelly brilliant, deeply grooving productions by Niney The Observer (via Gregory Isaacs) and Prince Jazzbo which epitomize the label's appeal to the reggae cognoscenti over the last three years, but also beyond, to fans of dubstep, techno, anything tough and worth a listen.

Four riveting, deeply grooving digital-dub productions for his own Ujama label by the great deejay Prince Jazzbo -- widely celebrated for such toasts as "Imperial I," "Mr Harry Skank" and "Natty Passing Through Rome" for the likes of Coxsone Dodd, Glen Brown and Lee Perry. From the late '80s, sides like these announced a new era in reggae. "Replay Version" sets the mood here -- malevolent, sick and paranoid, but haunting, and funky like a train, with cruelly brilliant effects; really a stunning piece of music.

A rampaging bull of a Dave Kelly digital rhythm, originally released on Crat Production in 1989, faced down brilliantly by these two Jammys stalwarts, Chuck Turner and Professor Grizzly. Another death in the arena from Basic Replay.

Another vicious, militant bad-bull from the Crat label out of Brooklyn, revived by Basic Replay. Emerging from the Stereo One sound, Courtney Melody ruled the dancehall -- with hits for Tubby, Jazzbo and Jammys and co. -- and, like the rhythm, is devastatingly focused. Two songs, both with dub versions, naturally; and top-notch remastering as always by Basic Replay.

Here it is, satisfying the special request of Jah Shaka amongst others -- White Mice's all-time dancehall smasher, sounding better than ever, over vocal and dub. And sensationally included is a stripped-down, moody, dubwise and analog-style interpretation, with its version -- both never before released and another Basic Replay exclusive.

Double-barreled digital onslaughts from producer Niney The Observer -- the "Dealing" rhythm is aka "Power-Saw," not for nothing -- and both vocalists are inspired: Gregory Isaacs sounds especially dazed, like he's been dealt; Ken Boothe -- the greatest soul singer in reggae -- is searing. The "Memories" version is a Basic Replay exclusive created by Niney.

2006 release, restocked. Born in 1970, in Montego Bay, Jamaica, Allan Crichton aka White Mice is a graduate of three sound systems -- Sugar Minott's Youthman Promotion, Jammy's Hi Power, and his hometown Ticka Muzik. His first break came at the Sunsplash festival in 1985, when he and Little Kirk were called on stage to perform with Tenor Saw. Recording at King Jammy's and Channel One studios, with Junior Delgado at the controls, over the next few years Mice let off a series of records amongst the very deadliest of digital reggae -- nearly all on his brother Blemo's Intelitec imprint, out of Miami. This release collects cuts from White Mice's 1988 Intelitec album True Love as well as other never before reissued digital reggae classics.